Gateway 980 manual Beep codes, Troubleshooting

Chapter 6: Troubleshooting

■Remove the side panel by following the instructions in “Closing the server case” on page 32, then make sure that all cables inside the case are attached securely. Also, make sure that the colored cable edges are aligned correctly and that the connectors do not miss any pins.

Warning

To avoid bodily injury, do not attempt to troubleshoot your server problem if:

■Power cords or plugs are damaged

■Liquid has been spilled into your server

■Your server was dropped

■The case was damaged

Instead, unplug your server and contact a qualified computer technician.

■If you have the correct test equipment, make sure that the new battery has power. Although unlikely, your new battery may be defective.

Beep codes

Whenever a recoverable error occurs during the power-on self-test (POST), the BIOS displays an error message that describes the problem. The BIOS also sounds a beep code (one long tone followed by two short tones) during POST if the video configuration fails (a faulty video controller) or if an expansion card is not functioning correctly.

A PCI expansion card (for example, a RAID controller) can also issue audible errors by itself, usually consisting of one long tone followed by a series of short tones. For more information on the beep codes issued, check the documentation for that device.

Several POST routines issue a POST terminal error and shut down the system when they fail. Before shutting down the system, the terminal error handler sounds a beep code (one long tone and a series of short tones) that identifies the test point error. If POST completes normally, the BIOS issues one short beep before passing control to the operating system.

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